The Beginning
by KidHeart4
Summary: Heart and the Team begin their adventures through the events of The First Face Off


Not Alone From The Start.

By: KidHeart4

Disclaimer: I do not own the Mighty Ducks or any of their characters. I do own Heart though, for she is one of my own created characters.

Heart:

All I remembered was running from something when it appeared. As my feet pounded the cavern surface I begged to stop running. I wanted a way out. I needed to reach out to someone, anyone! I didn't want to keep running from place to place! As these thoughts raced through my head I reached out my hand as energy leapt from my fingertips as though clawing open a doorway ahead of me. A portal, or tear in reality opened like a door in my previously blocked path. I froze, not knowing what was on the other side. Instinct neary told me to step away, but the feeling of dread running up my back as my pursuers chased me gave me little option. In desperation I found myself running through the glowing portal, escpaing as the portal closed behind me. Reckless decision or not, I was too scared to turn back now.

As I stepped through the doorway I looked around at the strange world I now stood on. Puck It appeared to be close to midnight just as it had been back home before I went through the portal. It was a bit colder though, with snow covering the sides of the streets and large ice rinks outside. As I walked up to one I found a statue looking down at me with a plaque declaring "Drake DuCane". This possible depicted hero was of a duck-like man with a mask worn over his face. None of the inhabitants seemed to be around at such a late hour.

"Where am I?" I wondered aloud, hugging myself to keep from shivering.

I then began to walk around to try and figure out where to go. Though as I wandered, my false sense of security lead me down the wrong street.

Duke:

The cool night air wrapped around me like a blanket as I crept out the window of the apartment. The job had been much too easy this time around, but all I needed was to get away from things at the moment. A distraction from other things.

I had just climbed down to the street below, tucking the diamond encrusted silver necklace into my shirt pocket as I walked along. Then I ran a hand through my prematuraly white streaked hair in an attempt to stop my racing thoughts. A frustrated sign escpaed my lungs as I looked around to get my bearings.

That's when I saw her. A strange, beakless, girl wandering the streets with little more than a torn up white button up shirt and black trousers with wholes in the knees. Her hair was loosely pulled into a ponytail, while her bangs kept falling over her face.

However as I looked over at her I also noticed someone behind her, creeping up to her with a sap in his bulky hand. Before I could call out for her to look out she turned around to find him looming over her. She tried to back away when a thinner man grabbed her after slinking around his friend to catch her by surprise. She screamed for help to a nearly empty alley way. Yet her cries did not entirely fall upon deaf ears as I found myself approaching them, keeping to the shadows to stay concealed.

"Let her go!" I yelled out.

The two froze, trying to see where I was. In that moment the girl took the opportunity to elbow her captor in the stomach, slipping out of his grasp as he clutched his stomach. For a moment I couldn't help but smirk seeing that the girl had more bite to her than she appeared with her small frame. Yet her fighting back was cut short when she wascut short when the lumbering giant near her reached for her. He grabbed her arm, pulling her back and knocking her to the ground as he hit her with the sap. With that she crumble to the wet pavement, hitting her head hard as it struck the loose bricks and concrete.

Before either of them could make another move closer to her I shot my grappling hook out as it wrapped around the fire escape across the alley.

"I gave ya both a chance!" I growled as I swung over, kicking the clumbsy giant back, causing him to fall on top of his partner.

I then stood between them and her, drawing my saber and allowing them to see my frame in the dimmly lit street lamps, "Now back off!"

The two of them scrambled to their feet, "It's him! Let's get out of here!"

Once they were out of sight I sheathed my saber and dropped my guard. Then I turned and knelt down beside the unconscious girl. Though she lay still I could see she was still breathing. I reached a hand through her hair to feel the warmth of blood staining my glove.

"Hang in there sweetheart, you're gonna be okay," I whispered as I pulled a cloth from my utility belt.

After I cleaned the blood with what I could I carefully wrapped a bandage around her head. Then I slowly lifted her up into my arms while being careful to make sure she wasn't injured anywhere else. As I held the girl I could feel how small she was as she shivered from the cold night air. She couldn't have been any older than 17 years old, maybe 18. Her thin frame shook, and I could tell she was under nourished from her pale skin and fatigued form.

"Let's get ya somewhere safe," I said as I carried her out of the alley and away from the bad part of town.

I walked along for a while before coming to what I knew was a safe neighborhood. Knowing I couldn't bring her to a hospital without risking being thrown behind bars, this was my next best option. That and I figured they may not know what to do with a strange, alien girl. So finding someone that may be able to take her in to help her recover was all I could think to do at the moment.

This brought me to a mailbox signed Flashblade, then to the doorstep. Being careful to stay in the shadows, I slipped over to the front door as I set her gently on the ground. Then with a scrap piece of paper I wrote a note to place in her hand.

I stood up now, knocking on the door as I did. This was repeated until I heard a pair of footsteps approaching from the other side. Before the doorknob turned I had already slid back to the shadows, watching from the side of the house as a young drake opened the door.

"What in the world?!" He exclaimed as he found the girl lying on the ground.

I watched as he looked around, "Is anyone there?! Hello?!"

"What's the matter bro?" I heard a younger voice yawn, "Woah! It's an alien like in my comics!"

The older brother gave a tired glare to his younger brother before he checked over the girl now. It didn't tae long for him to find the note I had slipped into her hand.

"Please help, I am injured and lost; but doctors here won't be able to help without too much attenton. I just need to recover and a safe placec to stay," he read my hastily written note.

"So what should we do bro? We can't leave her here at the door," the younger brother asked.

"I'm not sure, but you're right about not leaving her here. Help me get her to my room for now and we'll figure something out when she wakes up," the older brother agreed as he began lifting her up by her shoulders.

I felt a sigh of relief escape my throat as they carefully lifted her up together to bring her inside, "You'll be safe now sweetheart."

As the door closed behind them I quietly slipped into the night, pausing only a moment to look back once.

Heart:

My vision was blurred when I opened my eyes that morning. It felt as though my head were filled with rocks as I tried to turn it. My back ached while I tried to sit up. Where was I? When I tried to recall what had happened nothing came to mind. My head throbbed as I tried to remember. Flashes of shadows, a gold shimmer of light, and then the cold night were all I saw in my mind.

I looked around the room, finding a lot of hockey gear and posters. In the next room I could hear three voices talking. They grew louder as they came to and opened the door, revealing three young men not much older than myself.

"Hey she's awake bro!" The one with shoulder length blonde hair exclaimed when he noticed me sitting up.

I froze, unsure of what to say or do in response.

"Try not to move too much, you're probably still pretty sore aren't you?" the older brother told me with a calm, but stern voice.

"Can you tell us who you are, or how you got hurt?" The third one questioned.

I searched my memory to find only shadows it seemed. Still all I could recall were a few flashing images, one of a statue, an alley, and running through the night. Even my own name seemed to be locked away at the moment.

When I didn't answer the younger of the three took a seat in a chair beside the bed, "Can you remember anything girly-girl?"

I shook my head, holding it together as it pounded, "I'm sorry. I knew there was a statue, and I was running."

He pondered for a moment as he grabbed a poster folded in his pocket. Unfolding the sllightly torn paper revealed the figure I had seen before, "Was this the statue?"

"Yes!" My eyes widened slightly.

"You just had that on you Nosedive?" The third one laughed a little.

"Hey, you never know when I'll get to teach someone about the greatest duck that ever lived!" He disputed.

That's when I realized what should have been obvious from the start. They were all ducks! Why had I not reacted in much surprise to this fact? Instead my mind kind of accepted it somehow.

"But that still doesn't help us learn about her," the older brother retorted patiently.

"Is there at least a name you remember?" Their friend asked me.

I closed my eyes trying to recall something. Through the mist of my head I thought I heard someone murmur to me...?

"Heart..." I echoed, feeling it sound familiar.

"Well, It's a start," the older brother sighed.

"Who are you three?" I asked while looking at each of them as they answered.

"I'm Wildwing," the older brother with white feathers responded.

"I'm Canard," their friend with tan feathers answered.

Wildwing and Canard looked similar, and wore school jerseys with dark pants. Their hair were in similar styles. They were also the same height. You would think they were twins.

"And I'm Nosedive, your new best friend and big bro! I've always wanted a younger sibling!" He assured me while throwing an arm around my shoulders, squeezing me slightly into a hug of sorts.

I winced in pain as my back buckled, but I couldn't help but smile slightly all the same. Nosedive definitely looked like a normal teen with a t-shirt and ripped jeans. His feathers were a soft peach shade. He was just a little bit shorter than his brother and friend, but a little taller than me as well.

"Nosedive you can't just decide things like that!" Wildwing scolded.

"Well she needs someone to look out for her!" Nosedive retorted, "Who better than us? Doctors will just throw her infront of the media, and then what will happen?"

As I watched this debate unfold I couldn't help but find myself giggling a little. The brothers looked at me surprised, and I stifled my laughter quickly.

"What's so funny?" Nosedive asked.

"I don't know," I admitted.

Though my memories were locked away, I felt a pang of emptiness spread through me. A feeling of lonelieness echoed in my heart and washed throughout me as I remembered running from place to place somehow. Perhaps that's why it was so easy for my memories to slip away?. That is, other than the previous night as I tried to recall what had happened. Someone had grabbed me, and in the corner of my mind I thought I heard a voice call out, "Let her go!"

I looked up at the three now, "Did you three bring me here?"

They each shook their heads. Then Wildwing explained how they had found me the previous night on their doorstep.

I wondered if the voice I recalled belonged to the one who had saved me, or if I had perhaps simply run away somehow after being injured. Maybe I had run until I had collapsed at their doorstep. Either scenerio seemed possible at the moment.

However I also wasn't sure what to do from this point on either.

Wildwing sighed, "Look if youn need a place to stay, I'm sure we can figure something out. Maybe we can talk to our folks about what to do?"

"Are you sure?" I asked surprised.

"Hey, don't worry about it girly-girl!" Nosedive insisted, "You can stay with us! I know it won't be a problem!"

I smiled at them, "Thank you so much."

"Welcome home, Heart," Wildwing told me as I whipped away the tears in my eyes.

"Where are you from?" Nosedive now questioned curiously.

"I...I'm not sure...I think...Earth?" I told them.

"Why did you leave?" Canard quested.

"I...I don't really remember," I said as I rubbed my hand against the gash on my head, "all I remember is being alone and that I was running from something. Something...chasing me..."

"Running?" He proclaimed, "Why?"

I shook my head, unable to remember anything else. My hands reached up to feel the bandages wrapped around my head.

"Well, don't you worry any more, because you're not going to be on your own anymore!" Nosedive assured.

I looked at him with a relieved and tired smile. Despite only knowing them for these brief moments I still believed their words. Though we weren't the same, we seemed to connect somehow. For once, that I could remember, I felt a sense of being wanted that I couldn't recall from before. Safe and with those who cared.

"Thank you," I expressed with gratefulness in my voice.

Wildwing:

It hadn't taken very long to convince our folks surprisingly. When they had first seen Heart they were slightly in shock, but with Nosedive's enthusiasm they settled into acceptance.

Though we couldn't take her to a doctor, our mother was able to help determine how to best help Heart with her injury. As a nurse she could determine that there had been no internal damage and that her memories may come back over time. The bigger concern was how weak she was physically. Our mother said it was like Heart hadn't eaten in months somehow.

"You poor girl," she commented when she looked over the back of her head.

I brought them a cloth she had asked for and looked myself. There were bruises appearing where she had made the initial impact, as well as decent sized gauges and scrapes from the concrete block she had apparently fell onto. It was also easy to note how frail the girl was.

"You really can't remember what happened to you? You could be in serious trouble and have someone after you?" I mentioned.

"I'm sorry...I don't remember...I can leave if it's a problem. I understand!" She insisted shakily.

"No, you don't need to leave, I was just worried I guess," I told her.

She looked to us with uncertainty in her eyes. I tried to figure out what I could say to convince her. Nosedive always seemed to have an easier time at things like this than I did. Canard too. I was just used to being a big brother, and...?

I looked to Heart again as I rested a hand on her shoulder, "Hey, as long as I'm here I'm going to make sure no one lays a finger on you got that?"

"Wildwing?"

"That's what older brothers are supposed to do, look out for their little brothers, as well as their little sisters," I told her with a reassuring smile.

Her eyes widened with surprise before a smile of her own curved her lips. In that small moment I felt a bond being forged between this strange girl and myself. Though I had no idea what else would change ahead of us, nor did I know how I would handle being her older brother. I had made a promise, and I intended to keep it.

Heart:

So I lived with Wildwing, Nosedive, and by extension, Canard. Each of them becoming fast, dear friends. Taking care of me as my wounds healed and helping me to regain my strength. Though I was different from them, they didn't treat me like it. When I was stable enough to walk they taught me how to skate, and the three of them taught me how to play hockey. Dive and Wildwing's mother soon began treating me like her own daughter, and took me out to get better clothing. Once I was fully healed, the three of them showed me around the city they lived in.

Though as I stayed and went around the city with them other ducks began to ask about me. Giving me bewildered looks. Some didn't even seem to like me that much. Yet as I looked at my three new friends, I saw that they didn't really see the looks of the others, or at least they didn't pay them any mind.

"Guys," I asked on our way home, "Am I trouble for you? Am I causing problems between you and your other friends by staying?"

The three of them turned to me. Each of them with a puzzled look on their faces.

"Please tell me guys, I don't want to be a burden on all of you," I said honestly.

"You're not any trouble Heart," Wildwing assured her.

"Yeah, we really like having ya around. You're like a sister to us," Nosedive added with a bright smile.

"Are you sure?"

Canard nodded, and then the two brothers followed.

Nosedive then walked back to me and through an arm over my shoulder. Hugging me slightly, "Come on girly-girl, no more thinkin' like that! You're our friend now an' we're gonna take care of ya! Got it?"

Now I nodded, with a smile breaking through as I looked at the three of them, "Thanks guys."

Duke:

It had been a month later when I found myself walking through that same neighborhood. I wasn't sure if it was stress or curiosity, but I found myself across the street from that same house.

The hour was late and the sky was quite dark by now; so I wasn't expecting them to be outside when I walked up to their home. Quickly I slipped to the shadows so not to be seen. They were laughing, the two older young men were teasing the younger brother. That's when I noticed her again, patting his shoulder as she laughed softly. I was relieved to see her less frail and pale skinned.

I overheard the younger brother talking about his idol, Drake DuCane, and the older two were joking around with him. While she just seemed to listen as she supported him. I smiled as I saw her living a happy life with these new friends, and was thankful I seemed to choose the right house to leave her in front of. They seemed good natured, and she was much healthier from their influence it seemed.

Yet I couldn't figure out why I was so curious. Was it because I had saved her from those thugs? The rest of the month had gone as normal with planned heists accomplished. Why was the well being of this girl bothering me so much? However, I would be lying to myself if I tried to say to myself that I hadn't been worried. Maybe, somehow, I wanted just one person to think of me as a hero rather than a thief. Though with her not knowing I guess it was an odd wish to have.

Though as I risked another glance over at them, and looked at her as she hugged her friend I couldn't help but smile. If at least I knew, perhaps it wasn't such an odd thought. Or perhaps because of her a change had begun to stir in me?

For the moment at least I left it at that and slipped away.

Nosedive:

"Come on sis, we've gotta meet Wing and Canard at the ice park," I told her after school several weeks later.

"Sorry Dive, I'm still figuring my way around," she reminded me as she met up with me outside of our school.

"You've been going to school with us a month now," I mentioned.

"Still," she said with a half hearted shrug.

"What happened?" I asked her point blank.

The girl that had become my sister looked at me a bit puzzled. However I wasn't convinced. Resting a hand on her shoulder I looked her eye to eye. She winced a bit when my hand grazed her shoulder.

"What happened girly-girl?" I asked her worriedly as I brushed her t-shirt sleeve up to see the mark left from a locker she had been shoved against.

"It's nothing Dive," she insisted, "I guess some are just weirded out by me. I don't really care."

"I care, you're my sister," I reminded her.

"And that's all I really need right now. You, Wildwing, and Canard are there and that's what matters," she assured.

I threw my arm around her now, hugging her as she winced again, "If you insist sis."

She gave a light smile as I pulled her along with me.

Since Heart had arrived the two of us had been nearly inseperable. We were so close in age that I had declared her to be my twin. However I was still the older twin, and so I had to look out for my alien sister.

"Dive?" She prompted as we headed to the meet up spot.

"What's up girly-girl?" I answered while rustling her hair.

"Why did you guys just adopt me like you did?" Heart asked with concern in her eyes, "Why bother living with an alien when you could have sent me away once I'd recovered? Or just sent me to a hospital?"

"If we did that you wouldn't get to be our sister," I told her a bit puzzled.

"But I wasn't born on Puck World, let alone in your family!" She said.

"So what?"

"Doesn't it worry you why I may have been running in the first place?"

"Look sis, the way I see it is that you were in trouble. How could we turn you away?"

"Because apparently that's what others said should have happened," she admitted glancing away, "I should have stayed in my own world and dealt with my problems that I don't even remember what they were."

"Well we don't feel that way, and as you said that's all that matters," I echoed with a smile, "We took you in because we wanted to and you needed us to. Now we love you just as though you were born or hatched here. That's it."

"Dive-"

"Come on sis, Wing and Canard are waiting for us!" I insisted while pulling her along.

Before she could argue we had met up with them. Then Wildwing added to what I had pretty much told her already, "Don't worry about the others. Yeah it might be a bit strange, but that's life isn't it? It's not so strange when you look at the four of us hanging out is it?"

Heart shook her head, "I can't picture anywhere else I'd rather be, nor anyone else I'd rather be around."

Canard then skated up to her and handed her a hockey stick, "Then there you go."

Heart gave a revived smile before accepting the offered stick. Then the four of us began a casual game before it devolved into me skating around with her while Wildwing and Canard practiced. After a bit Heart went to the side and pulled out a sketchbook we'd gotten her and began working on a drawing while we all hung out. We noticed as our older brother gave quite a bit of effort to concentrate on the shots Canard made.

It was now that I remembered what we had talked about in school that day. I had been distracted by Heart's dilema that I had completely forgotten how excited I had been.

"Drake Ducane!" I suddenly exclaimed while skating around them, "He totally ruled Canard! The Saurian Overlords had conquered everything! I mean it was game over for the whole universe man! No one could find him because of their evil magic powers!"

I then swiped the mask off of my older brother and placed it on, "So Drake Ducane events this crazy mask, a goalie mask! That can see through their invisible shield!"

Then I pointed my stick at them eagerly, "So he hunts down the evil Saurians with the mask right? He kicks their scaley tail clear into another dimension! And the crowd goes wild!"

With that I swung my stick, not realizing I was pulling myself off balance. Then with a slip that I couldn't recover from I slid and crashed right onto my back on the ice.

"Dive are you okay?" Heart asked as she skated up to me and knelt down beside me.

Canard turned to Wildwing as he skated up to him, "Man Wildwing, I couldn't get a single puck past you today!"

Wildwing smiled and then looked over Heart and I, "You want a real hero Nosedive? Then check out Canard," he put a hand on his best friend's shoulder, "He's the best student in school and nobody beats him on the ice! He's a real team captain!"

He then skated up to us as I sat up and brushed the ice and snow off of myself, "Besides, I've heard all the stories about Drake Ducane's mask Dive, they're just legends!"

"Legends?!" I exclaimed while getting to my feet now and sneering, "Wake up and smell yourself man! We're talking about the coolest, most righteous duck that ever quacked flat out!"

Our older brother put an arm over my shoulder while smiling encouragingly, "Relax baby brother, the Saurian empire vanished centuries ago."

We then started for home with Heart trailing behind us.

"Well what about Heart then?" I pointed out.

"What about Heart?" He asked while they looked to me puzzled.

"Isn't she proof that other dimensions exist?" I questioned.

"Well maybe, we don't really know where she came from other than another planet. That doesn't mean these legends are real Dive," he tried to tell me.

I however wasn't too convinced, "You're wrong big bro! I know it!"

"Alright Dive!" Wildwing chuckled before turning to Canard to talk with him while we walked home.

Glancing back at Heart I noticed her looking up at the sky above us as it faded into dusk. We could see the first stars beginning to shine down over our small group. For a brief moment she almost looked lost, or unsure of something at the very least. It had been a few weeks since removing her bandages now, but I wondered if her head was bothering her again.

"You alright girly-girl?" I asked her again.

Heart looked to me, then to Wildwing and Canard a few steps ahead of us now, and then nodded her head with a smile.

"I am now that I don't have to run anymore," she then said, "Even if I can't remember what it was, or anything else for that matter, I know I'm happy with you three like this. As long as I can remain with you I know I don't need to run anymore."

"Do you believe me sis?" I asked her curiously.

"Why not?" She replied encouragingly, "I found you three somehow, so there's not much that isn't possible to me."

With a wide grin curving my beak I half tackled her and pulled her into a hug. Rustling her hair I then pulled her between Wildwing and I as we walked all together. Before much longer we had reached our home for the evening.

Heart:

Yet that happy time wasn't meant to last it seems.

I remember waking up to a feeling of dread that morning. The itch in my restless legs told me to start running, but I ignored that itch. Instead I went to Wildwing for some sort of answer that he couldn't provide.

"It's okay little sis, we're all going to have fun at the ice park today remember?" He reminded me.

"Wildwing, something's wrong," I attempted only to have him pat my head gently.

Then at the ice park the feeling only got worse. My nerves jumped, my stomach flipped, and my heart twisted inside. The three of them tried to reassure me, but to no avail. Even still nothing prepared me for what happened next.

A hovering sound caught our attention, forcing us to look up as something darted across the sky. What looked like ships soared over and headed for the heart of our city. Gasps of horror escaped us one by one as we heard blasts shot out from them, then screams followed after. The skies above took on a red glow from the fires created by these crimson ships. Wildwing grabbed Nosedive and I quickly to pull us from the exposed position of the ice park, while Canard vanished completely we thought, seperated in an attempt to go and help other civilains. Then the hunter drones emerged, lining other ducks up and threatening them with blasters.

One marched up towards our hiding spot. My heart pounded as I gripped the hockey stick in my hands. My knuckles turned white as my grip tightened and the droid blasted a crater for an opening in the building we had run into.

"You are now under the Command of Lord Dragonus Puck Worldians!" The drone announced.

My legs no longer itched, they shook instead as I jumped to my feet. Reacting without thought I swung my stick into it as I yelled, "Wing! Dive! Run!"

"Sis are you crazy?!" Wildwing exclaimed as he jumped to his feet.

I jumped back as the blaster of the drone shot out at my feet, "Get in line!"

I don't know what had come over me in this moment. All that registered was that my family was being threatened, my home was being destroyed, and I was fighting the urge to run from them. Digging my heels in I swung my stick again with what force I had and caused it to be knocked back.

"Run!" I shouted.

"Sis look out!" Nosedive yelled as I turned to see several more hunter drones marching towards us.

They all started firing at my feet and at the make shift weapon in my hands. I deflected one shot before they hit the center of it, causing it to snap.

"Foolish Puck Worldian! Bow before the Saurians or perish!" It warned as I backed up a bit.

I was about to decline this order when Wildwing stepped up behind me and placed a hand on my shoulder to pull me back, "Don't! I won't lose either of you!"

"That was pretty brave though sis," Nosedive commented as we put our hands up together and got in line.

Then just like that, all that we knew was torn away from us. All we had left of the life we had were each other. The three of us watched as days turned into weeks and then finally into months.

Duke:

When the invasion began all I remembered was getting my group hidden away for the time being. I ordered a temporary disban to scatter everyone and keep them safe. While I made my way to the heart of the city to see what I could find out. Even a life of crime couldn't prepare me for what I found. Homes devastated, families pulled apart, our planet ravaged, and my fellow ducks lined up and put to work under the command of the Saurian empire.

At this something in me shifted into place. A fire began to burn within me as I looked upon the sight.

Over the next few days I would find myself breaking into Dragonus's supply warehouses and stealing back food for my fellow ducks. All my years being the most notorious jewel thief on Puck World had prepared me somehow, though I had never guessed they would be needed for this. Before long a young commander tracked me down with a few other freedom fighters that had joined the cause for our world.

"So are you joining the fight to stop Dragonus once and for all?" He asked me. "You realize this will come with a full pardon if you do."

I nodded, "I may be a thief; but this is my home, an' I won't see it enslaved by a bunch of lizards."

Canard nodded in understanding before speaking, "Good; but before we start, we have some more teammates to pick up."

"Who else is joinin'?" I asked our captain.

"A childhood friend of mine, Wildwing."

I stiffened, wondering if the other two would be joining as well. My expression must have given away some of my thoughts.

"What's the matter?"

"What about the other two?"

"The other two, but you've never met-Wait." He paused as he looked at me a bit surprised, "Are you the one that?"

I looked at Canard, trying to act as though I didn't know what he was talking about. I had feeling it was too late to hide anything. Giving in I admitted, " I brought her there. Some thugs were tryin' to hurt her when she first arrived on Puck World, I saved her I guess, and I brought her to your friend's place."

"You saved her? You risked your freedom at the time pulling that stunt."

I hadn't thought of it that way, or maybe I had tossed that concern to the side at the time, "She needed help, an' I was the only one around to rescue her."

"She's already shown that she wants to fight. When the drones first landed she tried to defend her two brothers with what she had."

"She could get hurt," I said defensively.

"Duke, she wants to fight. And maybe she could have some answers staying with us."

"Answers?"

"When she woke up the morning after we found her at the door she had lost most of her memories."

I remembered how she had hit her head the night I found her.

"Duke, you should meet her. Perhaps you could be a hero to her, she accepted us without batting an eye. And just maybe you would be a hero instead of a thief?"

Canard's words unknowingly hit the mark. Yet something made me feel nervous.

I fell silent. I knew the kid could fight, and I knew she was willing too. However, I didn't want to risk the idea that she may not trust me. Though I had saved her, she didn't know I was a thief. If she knew who I was, or what I was like, she most likely wouldn't see me as a hero like a part of me hoped. She probably wouldn't trust me. Maybe a part of me didn't want to risk that being true.

"At least meet her Duke; but I'm not leaving my friends in that camp. Her and Wing are joining us."

Finally I spoke up, feeling a little more confident as I did, "I'd like her to be my partner if we need to use a buddy system for any reason. I don't know if I want to her tell yet; but I want ta look after her. I want ta earn her trust first."

Canard nodded understandingly. Then he headed out to retrieve them from the work camps they were being lead to.

Heart:

I was in a line behind Nosedive and Wildwing when a pair of hands pulled Wildwing into an alley. Dive and I quickly ran in after him unnoticed. There we found Canard!

"Canard!" Wildwing cried happily, "Where've you been all these months?!"

"I'm what's left of the military, in the resistance," he answered.

"The resistance?! You mean it really exists?!" Wildwing asked.

"I'm organizing a special team of Puck World's finest, and a few civilians we've had our eyes on; like you! We're gonna take out Dragonus," Canard assured.

"How, nobody's ever seen him?" Wildwing pointed out.

"I found it Wildwing, in an ancient tome in the mountains they call Twin Beaks, the mask, Drake Ducain's mask!" Canard announced to us as he held up a white hockey mask.

"Woah, didn't I tell ya man?! Was Drake DuCain the main duck or what?!" Nosedive exclaimed as he reached for the mask.

"Beat it kid, before you get us all in trouble!" Canard snapped as he put the mask back into he pouch attached to his belt.

"No!" Wildwing said firmly as he put an arm around his brother, "If you want me, then my brother's part of the deal! Heart too!"

"Alright," Canard gave in, "but you're responsible for the kid's safety."

Wildwing nodded while turning towards Nosedive and I. Nosedive eagerly punched his fist into the palm of his hand, "Alright bro!"

I didn't know what was ahead of us from this call to action. All I could hold onto was that I was with my brothers at this point. If standing up and fighting was what I needed to do to stay this way, then that's what I would do. With this resolve I followed them through the destroyed streets.

The first member we met was a red head named Mallory. Her feathers were of a soft peach tone similar to Nosedive's. Her battle gear consisted pink and violet shades. On her left shoulder was a small pauldron of armor. At her right wrist was an arm brace, on her left hand was a lavender fighting glove. She was an ace in martial arts and was in the military before the attacks had even happened.

When she came up to us she spoke, "Hey, nice to meet you three."

We nodded in reply.

Mallory:

I then noticed the strange girl with them, "So, you're the alien he was telling me about. You are quite different, and quite small. Are you sure you're ready to fight a war?"

"I will do what it takes to stay with my family," she told me firmly.

I raised a brow at this, "It's going to take more than determination; but I lik your spirit."

She gave a nervous smile, "Thanks."

Looking over the three of them though I worried about what Canard was thinking. These three were civilains, not soldiers.

"I suppose beggers can't be choosers," I sighed when looking out over the city again.

"I'll go to the meet up point while you gather the others Captain," I informed Canard before heading out.

"Be careful out there," he warned.

Heart:

Not long after we found ourselves in an old, abandoned warehouse. The four of us then waited inside hiding from marching drones. Soon after I thought I heard someone opening one of the windows. Turning my head to look I found no one there.

"Hey Canard, nice to see you again," a smooth, Brooklyn accented, voice spoke up.

Out of the shadows, a tall drake stepped forward. He was about 5 '10. His feathers were of worn charcoal; and his hair was of the same shade, only with a pre-mature white streak through it, and he had a short pony tail at the base of his neck. His attire consisted of an all burgundy stealth suit, that concealed his lean form. On his feet he had black boots. Over his right eye was an eye-patch that hid what I could guess was a mechanical eye in which the pupil glowed red to signal it was there. He also had a chip in his upper beak. Over his shoulders were two gray straps that held small tools. On his left arm was an elbow spike; and his com was on his right wrist along with his grappling hook.

I felt the heart in my chest skip a beat when I looked up at him, and I couldn't help but feel very shy and frozen as he stepped closer. What was going on? Who was this stranger? When he came up to us, he stopped just two feet or so away from me.

"Duke, good; I've brought you you're partner," Canard informed him.

Duke looked at me with what seemed to be a relieved smile?

"Heart, this is Duke; he will be your partner. Please try to stay with him if we get split up for any reason, as you both are our main means of stealth," Canard told me.

I looked up at Duke as I spoke nervously when he offered a hand towards me, "Hello."

"It's a pleasure ta meet ya, sweetheart," I told her as he bent down slightly, while lifting my hand, and then brushed a gentle kiss over my fingers before releasing me.

Duke:

I watched as she blushed so innocently; and in response, and I couldn't help it as I flashed her a charming smile.

"Okay Duke; you help get her ready while we get the others," Canard ordered, "We'll meet you at the hide out soon before going to join up with Mallory."

I nodded as they then left the two of us there. Though I noticed the reluctant worried expression on Wildwing's face. To try and reassure my young comrade I gave a nod and a promise, "I'll keep her safe, don't worry."

With that Heart and I stepped out of the warehouse shortly after, and out to the dangerous streets. Outside from the safety of our hiding spot we could see several hunter drones making their patrols and lining up our fellow ducks. The giant monitors loomed over head.

"Great," I muttered dryly.

I glanced at the girl beside me. Though she was standing firmly, I noticed her hands balled into shaking fists as her sides as she took in the horrors around her still. Seeing my home torn apart was almost too much for me to take in at times, but I had been able to use this to feul my resolve. To try and inspire courage I slowly took her by the hand, hoping to ease her fears at least a little bit.

Heart:

I looked up at Duke startled. He was smiling; but I was too nervous to return the kind gesture.

Just then a hunter drone spotted us, and fired. Though just as one almost hit me, Duke pulled me back and shielded me as we took cover in an alley. While he stood before me, his hands at either side of my head against the wall, I gazed up at him. My heart skipped once more as I looked up at him.

When the coast was clear, Duke spoke quietly, "Ya alright sweetheart?"

I nodded; but it was a lye. Already, Duke had needed to rescue me already; so what kind of partner could I possibly be to him?

"We'll have ta go through the alleys ta get ta the hideout; so stay close, okay?" He informed.

"Okay," I replied quietly as he took my hand and lead the way again.

When we weren't hearing marching footsteps and blasters going off, it was eerily quiet. Everything I had come to know in just a few months had been taken away, and this fact was being shoved into my face. With the weight of what I was walking towards looming over I wasn't sure what to think.

"Heart?" Duke asked quietly when my movements grew rigid.

"I...I want to fight...I want to save my home..." I told him, "But I'm not sure what I can really do. I...I'm not a fighter...at least..."

My head ached as though trying to remember something critical. My free hand reached up and ran through my hair before gripping my head as I grimaced.

"Hey, it'll be okay sweetheart," he said encouragingly, "I think ya have more fight in ya than ya realize."

"How so?" I questioned.

"Canard told me how ya stood up to the drones that landed near your brothers," he pointed out with a light chuckle, "Honestly I was kinda surprised ta hear of this."

"I know I'm small..."

"That's not it at all sweetheart. I was surprised because this isn't your natural home from what I can tell, but ya stood up as though it were," he told me.

"How could I not? Wildwing and Nosedive are my brothers, and through them this has become my home," I said firmly.

"I think that's all the answer ya need Heart. If you can look at me without any doubt in your eyes then I think ya know why we called for ya with your brothers," he told me as he glanced at me with an encouraging smile.

"Thank you," I said looking up at him a bit stunned.

"No prob, sweetheart. So, where did ya come from then?"

"I...I think...a planet called Earth?"

"Earth? What's it like?"

I shrugged.

Duke:

While we talked, I noticed Heart getting a little defensive over this subject. I remembered what Canard had said about her memories and grew concerned that I was hurting her somehow.

"Ya alright?" I enquired.

"I'm fine, I just don't remember much about it, other than I was running from something. Somehow I ended up here on Puck World though and with my brothers," she told me.

"I'm sorry Heart, we can talk about somethin' else if ya want," I suggested, "So how old are ya? Ya don't look much older than Mallory."

"I'm almost eighteen, "she affirmed, "Nosedive is my older twin. He somehow figured out we were about the same age, only split by a few months from what little I remember."

"An' you were on your own before your brothers took ya in?"

"It seems so. I don't recall having much choice, just running," she told me.

"Well, now ya do," I said firmly.

She looked up at me, a confused expression spreading over her as she spoke, "I want to help protect my friends here, I want to fight beside you and my family that I've found here. That's all I really know at this point."

Just then we heard more shots from a distance; but it was close enough to startle Heart as she grabbed a hold of my arm. She clung to me as she trembled slightly. A bit startled by this show of trust I wasn't sure of what to say. However I found myself slowly pulling my arm away before wrapping it around her as I carefully grasped her shoulder, and pulled her closer to me to comfort her.

"Calm down Heart, you're safe with me," I assured her softly.

Heart:

My cheeks were hot from embarrasment; but Duke didn't laugh at me. He just let me stay close to him.

"Thank you Duke."

"No prob, sweetheart."

Shortly after that we were at the hideout.

"Okay Heart, you can choose your battle gear here. There's armor, but there's also suits like mine, just pick what seems natural to ya," I told her encouragingly.

When Heart came out in a uniform similar to mine I didn't know how to react. It was a burgundy stealth suit as mine was, but her belt was a teal as well as the cuffs and boots. The shoulder straps were of this shade as well. She walked over to me a bit nervously in her steps.

"It just felt like the right fit, I hope that's okay. I figured if I'm supposed to be a part of a stealth squad with you then...maybe...? I can try something else if it bothers you," she said while scratching the back of her neck nervously.

I smiled at her as I stood, leaning back against a wall with my arms crossed over my chest, "If that's what feels right to ya don't let me stop ya sweetheart. It's actually quite flatterin'."

A few moments of silence passed by before she looked over at me curiously.

"What's the matter kid?" I asked her curiously.

"On the way here, Canard told us a little about our teammates. He mentioned before the invasion you had been a jewel thief, but now you've been using your skills to defend your home? I was wondering what your life was like before?"

The feeling I had dreaded crawled up my spine. The worry that she didn't trust me, and now wanted to be away from me. I took a deep breath to try and ignore this frustration.

"Duke, what's wrong?" She enquired with concern.

"Ya don't trust me do ya, Heart?" I asked her carefully.

"I never said that I didn't trust you," I told him, confused by his question.

"Ya don't have to say it," I answered with a bit of a cold sigh as I walked over to a set of crates and sat down to wait for the others.

Why was I so bothered by the notion that yet another person would not trust me? Why did the thought of this girl looking at me as anyone else would eat away at my thoughts? I looked away, towards the window, waiting for a signal from the others meeting up with us.

"Duke, I do trust you," I heard her say as she approached me.

I still didn't look at her. Why was this bothering me so much?

"Please Duke!"

I risked a glance at her. This was the first time I really took notice of her sapphire eyes. They were eyes filled with sincereity as she looked to me steadily.

"Heart, do ya really trust me?" I asked her gently.

She nodded as she sat beside me, as though to prove a point.

I sighed, "I'm sorry sweetheart. I'm jus' so used ta others turnin' away from me 'cause of my past."

"At least you have one to remember. Perhaps adventures you're fond of, or things that hurt but made you stronger?" she asked with a slight smile towards me, was she curious?

I then caught what she had said just before that last part, "Canard told me a little about you too. He mentioned you were injured and had lost your past in the impact."

She nodded quietly while looking at the floor now as though a bit lost.

"I'm sorry sweetheart. I hadn't thought of things that way," I admitted as I risked closing a hand over hers, trying to calm hers as it shook.

"I want to protect what memories I've made since then. Meeting my new family here, and now meeting you, it's what I know now."

I was a bit stunned when she mentioned me in this. Knowing what I was hadn't affected her? Her voice was clear and determined. Suddenly I found myself wanting to tell her the truth of how I knew her. A yearning to be a hero stirred in me again, but why? I was already a part of the resistance, I would be fully pardoned. Yet for a moment all of that was just icing on the cake compared to this one girl knowing how I had saved her one night.

"Heart, there's somethin' I want ta tell ya," I started as I still held her hand.

She turned to me, "Is everything okay?"

I nodded with a smile, "Yeah sweetheart. I jus' wanted ta tell ya-"

Suddenly I was cut off from the arrival of the rest of our teammates. I found myself getting up to my feet and letting go of Heart's hand.

"Duke?" She asked.

I looked to her briefly, "I'll tell ya when this is all over sweetheart."

She nodded in response.

Heart:

We were then introduced to Tanya and Grin.

Tanya was a scientist with blond hair and pink glasses. Her attire was of a light purple jumpsuit with what she called an omnitool on her right forearm. She also had light peach feathers. She smiled good naturedly with a slight nasally tone, "Welcome to the group I guess!"

"Thank you," I said while shaking her hand.

While Grin was an extremely strong presence of a duck. He stood a full two feet taller than me. He had lighter gray feathers than Duke and a top knot of black hair on his head behind the viser he wore. His attire was of a white tank top and burgundy pants with dark shoulder armor and arms braces. On his left bicep was a tattoo of crossing hockey sticks over a narrow triangle. Walking up to him I wasn't sure what to think at first other than how small I suddenly felt. Yet then he offered a hand out to me with a very gentle smile over his strong beak. His hand closed completely around mine as we shook them in greeting. His grip was strong, but careful all the same as he said, "It's nice to meet you young friend, I sense uique vibes coming from you."

"Uh...thank you!" I said appreciatively.

Soon we had all gathered and then gone to meet up with Mallory. As we did I found myself following behind Duke at first before Nosedive ran up and threw an arm around me excitedly, "This is gonna be so cool sis!"

My twin's enthusiasm couldn't be matched, though I gave a smile all the same. I then glanced at Wildwing to see that he shared in my more nervous attitude. I tried to pull him close to us to walk along side of him. He gave a forced smile before looking back to Canard who lead the way.

Soon we arrived at the hidden meet up point with Mallory under the city. Behind her was a stealth fighter jet that made our jaws drop upon seeing it, at least for my siblings and I. Then we finished suiting up and were given the rest of our gear. This included a puck launcher that Canard handed me to fasten to a holster slung around my waist. I held it a bit nervously and took a deep breath before setting it in place at my hip.

"I feel a staff may have been a better option for me, it's more like a hockey stick that way," I attempted.

"Unfortunately this is what we've got," he sighed, "Just be careful out there okay?"

I nodded my head while taking another quick breath. Glancing over at the others all well prepared, Grin meditating on the floor, Tanya preparing her tools, Mallory looking over her blaster, and Duke leaning smoothly back against the back of the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. He glanced up and gave a smile as I stood beside my brothers. I gave a nervous one in turn while Nosedive beside me said eagerly, "Awesome gear Canard! We are set for some serious street hockey!"

Wildwing then walked over to Canard as he took the controls and began our ascent from under the crumbling street, "Where'd you get the cool set of wings Canard?"

"It's the last of the military's Aerowing. We managed to hide it when the monitor towers attacked," he explained before pushing a lever forward, "Now, let's give Dragonus a little visit!"

With that we were off soaring through the sky.

Duke:

After taking our seats shortly after I noticed how nervous Heart was, for her hand was drumming against the surface in front of her seat beside me. So I carefully closed mine over hers and smiled, "Take it easy, sweetheart. I'll look out for ya."

At last she smiled back, "Thank you."

I nodded calmly in response.

"The monitors are controlled by a master computer at Dragonus's headquarters, that's our target!" Our team captain informed us.

"Yeah, but no one's ever seen Dragonus's headquarters," I commented with a puzzled laugh.

"I have," Canard answered as he placed the mask over his face, "Now prepare yourselves we're almost there."

"Here?" Mallory questioned, "We're 20 clicks from nowhere!"

"Dragonus's headquarters are masked by an invisible forcefield, a cloack of darkness. and we're about to pass through it!" He answered.

In an instant we pierced the field and before us in the distance was a crimson tower clawing at the skies of Puck World. We all looked on as Wildwing exclaimed, "Dragonus's headqaurters!"

Wildwing:

As we landed I looked to my two younger siblings with a wave of concern washing over me. The weight and reality of what we were doing was setting on over my shoulders. Yet before I could say anything I noticed Heart following after the ex-thief of our group. He rested a hand on her shoulder as he nodded to her. She in turn seemed eager, and unwilling to hear me tell her to stay put. Nosedive however as he tried to follow us out was stopped when Canard ordered the ship to be closed.

"Yo, what about me?!" Our brother questioned in alarm.

I gave a chuckle and a shrug, "Be a team player little bro! Someone's gotta stay and guard the ship!"

"I think I just got the short end of the hockey stick!" He exclaimed as the door closed him inside of the Aerowing.

Then before heading in I managed to grab Heart's shoulder as she turned to look at me, "What's the matter big bro?"

"Maybe you should stay with Dive sis," I attempted, "I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to either of you."

"Wildwing I...I'll be okay," she told me regaining some confidence.

I looked over her shoulder to see the others heading towards a side entrance in the tower. Yet I noticed that our group's rogue had paused, noticing we were a bit behind them. While I trusted Canard's decision in bringing him, I wasn't sure how much I liked the idea of her being a part of this stealth unit with him if things needed to go that route. Then again just about all of this situation had me on edge. We had already lost so much, seen so much go wrong, if anything happened to her and Dive...

"Please be careful, no matter what happens okay?" I then asked her.

"Wildwing, it'll be okay. I'm going to stand and fight for our home with all of you, I'm not scared," she tried to assure me.

Then she looked to see him waiting as well. It was only now that I noticed her suit similar to his. Before going in I briefly reflected on what I had asked Canard while going to retrieve Grin and Tanya earlier.

"Why Heart by the way?" I had asked.

"I think she can fight," he had answered.

"She's never-"

"She did when those drones first appeared, almost like it was second nature," he had pointed out.

"What are you talking about?"

"Haven't you ever wondered where your little sister came from? How did she know to use a stick like a staff like that?" He had questioned.

I hadn't. For since she had arrived she had just been Heart, my little sister. She drew in her sketchbook, skated with us, and stuck around us at all times. So no, none of this had ever come to mind. Yet now looking at her preparing to fight I wondered briefly what she had been running from before finding us. What horrors could she have witnessed that had chased her to our world? Looking at her as she turned back to the ex-thief I worried she would have to remember soon and use whatever skills Canard thought she might have.

"Just be careful sis, and don't forget your older brother is looking out for you still?" I reminded her quickly, "Don't forget you belong with us."

"How could I?" She asked with an encouraging smile before we followed after the others.

Duke:

Once we were in Dragonus's master tower, I stayed close to Heart. She seemed to have gained more courage, for she wasn't as nervous as she had been before; and I noticed a spark of fire in her eyes.

Soon enough everyone was busy doing what we had come to do; Tanya and Mallory were heading into the master computer's chamber setting a bomb, and Wildwing had been sent to draw out Dragonus. While the rest of us were left waiting behind the doors we had sent Wildwing through in order to help jump the Saurian Overlord when they suddenly slammed shut.

"Well so much for your plan Canard," I commented turning towards our team captain.

"Alright!" A gruff voice mocked from behind us.

I turned quickly on my heel with Canard and Grin to my right and Heart to my left, the latter in which I stepped in front of instinctively as the voice continued, "Let's pluck some duck!"

Three lizardmen then appeared before us. One of orange and brown shades as a large bulky, club tailed brawler, the second a scrawny green chameleon, and the third a wispy wizened mage with a skeletal facial structure.

The mage chuckled menacingly as he conjured up a fireball, "I've got a better idea Siege! Let's roast them!"

With that he flung the fireball at us as it grew. The four of us leapt out of the way. Though while we did I pushed Heart down before she was hit, falling on her and shielding her.

"Thanks," she said a bit startled as she looked up at me startled.

"No problem sweetheart," I assured her, "Ya alright?"

I nodded in a silent reply as he got up, and then helped me up. Afterwards he went to go help the others. While I looked around trying to figure out how to help. My hand went to the launcher at my hip, yet I froze.

"Interesting," the mage snickered as smoke began to drift around me.

My eyes darted around the room to find the voice's owner. Something about it chilled my core as I tried to grasp the handle of the puck launcher. Turning to wear I thought I heard the voice coming from I heard another mocking laugh from behind me.

"Come out and fight coward!" I snapped as I turned around to find nothing there.

Duke:

Turning around I noticed Heart freezing up as smoke drifted around her. I hurried over to her with my saber drawn.

"Heart?" I asked as I stepped beside her.

"Duke?" She breathed a bit startled to hear me it seemed.

"I told ya I'd look out for ya," I said as I looked around us.

"Are you alright?" I asked her when I saw her freezing up still.

She nodded, though she still seemed a bit shaken.

Heart:

Just then the mage lizard appeared behind us out of the drifting smoke. Duke turned to face him, stepping forward with me behind him.

"Care to fight fire with fire?" He snickered as he drew a blade made of flames that went threw Duke's saber and burned a scar across his chest.

"Duke!"

He had his hand over the burn with his head bent down and his teeth clenched in pain. I placed a hand over his while he looked at me startled. We then both looked up to find that the Chameleon had joined Wraith though now as a muscle lizard. Marching forward towards us forced us to back up. Duke immediately stepped in front of me to my surprise.

"Duke?!" I exclaimed.

"I won't let ya get hurt," he assured me.

Something in my chest stopped for a split second to see Duke react like this. Thief or not I could see a noble nature to him that I couldn't recall seeing in anyone before, memories or not. Then that something in my chest began to pound harder it seemed as I watched him hold his saber up.

Suddenly Grin grabbed a hold of Siege's tail just after he'd knocked down Canard and swung the lizard at the two before us. With a hearty thud they all landed in a heap to the side. Before they could get up the whole tower seemed to shake and the three lizards teleported away after recieving a message from their lord to evacuate.

Duke placed a hand to his chin as he pondered aloud, "I'm thinkin' maybe that was a little too easy."

Canard quickly caught our attention as Grin pried the doors back open, "Forget it, we gotta find Wildwing!"

Instantly we began springing down the narrow hallway before us. When we didn't see Wildwing right away I felt panic setting in. Hurrying through another doorway we found a deep pit with rays at the bottom.

"Wildwing!" Canard exclaimed out as my brother was being pulled down.

"Wing!" I cried out in fear.

In seconds I looked up as Duke glanced up, fired his grappling hook, and swung down towards Wildwing with his saber drawn. I held my breath as he cut my brother's bindings at his ankles and swept him up to swing back up towards us with a triumphant laugh. My breath escaping I smiled at him thankfully just as the tower began to tremble again.

Duke had set Wildwing firmly on the ground but as the building shook had to balance himself to keep from falling back. Without a second thought I reached out and grabbed him by his shirt front to pull him from the edge. He looked at me surprised while stabling himself. When I saw he was steady I pulled my hand back.

Just then Tanya and Mallory came running in behind us, jumping to the floor to avoid a blast behind them.

"In five minutes we're all gonna be toast!" Mallory exclaimed as another blast tore open the wall.

As Canard looked down to the ground he exclaimed in annoyance, "The Aerowing's gone!"

He turned to Wildwing angrily, "That kid brother of yours, he-!"

Before he could finish a bright light nearly blinded us as Nosedive flew the Aerowing towards us and opened it's under hatch as he yelled out, "Yee ha ha! Nosedive to the rescue!"

"Dive!" I cried out with relief while running up and hugging him.

With that we were flying after Dragonus's ship as it took off from the exploding tower. As we did I looked over at Duke for a moment, walking over to him in the commotion. Glancing at Wildwing briefly all I could think to say was, "Thank you for saving my brother."

Duke gave a smile, "Don't mention it sweetheart."

As we followed them we watched in confusion as a blast was shot out from Dragonus's ship, splitting the sky.

"What in the world is that?!" Wildwing exclaimed.

"His ship seems to be emitting some sort of dimensional gateway," Tanya informed while looking at a scanner at the controls.

"Then we'll follow them!" Wildwing declared before turning to our brother, "Come on baby bro, punch it!"

"Hang on!" Nosedive warned as we flew after the Saurians into the portal.

Duke suddenly grabbed my hand and had me sit in the seat beside us, "Strap in okay?"

I did as I was told as I looked out at the gateway. However just as we were gaining on them something else was released from the ship. Before we could evade it a large electric creature wrapped around the Aerowing, slithering over it tightly.

"Tanya what is that?!" Wildwing demanded.

"Well if I didn't know better I'd say that was an electric magnetic worm!" She exclaimed urgently.

The ship began to shake as the creature tossed and turned us within it's vice grip.

"Hey if that thing gets big enough it could swallow the entire ship!" Duke shouted from beside me.

Then he looked to me as I knew the fear I felt was betraying me. With a quick sigh he reached over and grasped my shaking hand, squeezing it tightly in an attempt to calm the panic I showed.

"How do we get rid of it?!" Wildwing questioned.

"Well, it has to consume some sort of matter!" Tanya told him.

"We're gonna have to jetisen something!" Wildwing said as he began looking around, tugging on the seats.

"Well like what?!" Tanya questioned, "Everything is bolted down!"

Just as he said this we heard the side door sliding open as a force came blowing through the ship. Wildwing turned just before I did to see Canard standing at the opening.

"Canard!" Wildwing shouted as he ran up to him, "Canard, what are you doing?!"

"You heard Tanya, I'm going to close that thing down!"

"Are you crazy?!" Wildwing exclaimed as Canard removed his mask.

"It's the only way," he said while holding out the mask to Wildwing, "Take it Wildwing! Take it-!"

Just as this was being said the electric creature reached up with a tendril, wrapping around Canard's legs to pull him down into it. Wildwing quickly grabbed hold of the mask with Canard still holding onto it.

"Canard!" Wildwing screamed in horror as he tried to pull him back up with Grin anchoring him.

By now Duke and I had both run up as well. I watched speechless as what happened before me occured. Wildwing looked to his best friend as Canard looked at him confidently, "Take it! You're team captain now!"

With that Canard let go of the mask and was dragged away into the electric creature. With a flash of light he vanished and the creature sluggishly released the ship and drifted away.

Tears swelled in my eyes as I began to cry, not knowing what else to do or what to say to console my brother over our lost leader and his dear friend. Unknowingly I turned leaned into the one closet to me, not realizing it was Duke as he closed the door to the ship. He then looked at me as he carefully held me while I cried, "He sacrificed himself to save us."

"Truly an evolved soul," Grin added solemnly.

Before we had time at all for any of this to settle Nosedive called to us, "Uh guys, those dino-jerks are getting away!"

Tanya looked up and exclaimed, "Oh no, they must have passed through the other side of the gateway!"

I then watched as Wildwing stood up, tucking the mask away into the satchel on his hip and said with determination, "Then that's where we're going!"

"Punch it Nosedive!" Wildwing then ordered as we took off faster.

As we did I pulled away to find Duke had been the one trying to comfort me. Yet I couldn't think of anything to say still as I stepped away to approach my older brother. I rested a hand on Wildwing's shoulder encouragingly just as we traveled through the other end of the portal. With a blast of energy and light we emerged to find broud daylight as the tunnel closed shut behind us.

Mallory looked around as she demanded, "Where's the raptor?!"

Wildwing also glanced over the land we had found and asked, "More to the point, where are we?"

We soon decided to land the ship and take a look around. Though as we did I couldn't help but feel a familiarness to my current surroundings. We hid our ship and began walking along a street.

"Welcome to Anaheim, home of the mighty frogs?" Duke read the sign in front of us in confusion.

Wildwing looked around, "Kind of looks like Puck World?"

"Yeah," Mallory agreed, "But with better weather!"

Tanya shook her head as we walked along, "Impossible, we're not even in our own universe anymore!"

As she then listed off the kinds of creatures we could possibly encounter I noticed as Nosedive looked to the side. Peering through the bushes he discovered what looked like a mall before us. Curiosity spurred us to move forward. As we did we split up into small groups. I found myself following close behind Wildwing and Duke, Tanya went with Grin, and Nosedive stuck with Mallory.

As the three of us approached a shop with a spinning globe on the top we noticed someone emerging from it with his arms full of bags.

"Hey excuse me buddy, what planet is this?" Duke asked.

Upon seeing Duke and Wildwing the man dropped his bags while screaming and running away from us. Seeing this Duke rested his hands on his hips while saying in annoyance, "You'd think a guy had never seen a duck before!"

At this Wildwing and I shared in our expression of bewilderment. All things considered it seemed we both understood why this person had been so alarmed. Duke then shrugged as we continued to explore.

"They kinda look like Heart though," Wildwing soon said as he looked around at the life forms walking by.

Duke put a hand to his chin as he observed this, "I guess you're right."

I had noticed this as well, but wasn't sure how to react just yet.

"Heart, is this your home world maybe?" Duke asked me curiously.

"I...I don't really know," I admitted.

Before long we had regrouped within a comic shop nearby. The owners of the shop were talking to Nosedive excitedly, seemingly unbothered by ur arrival. While there Wildwing expressed how we were stranded and needed a place to play hockey to keep our edge. Hearing this the male shop keeper informed us excitedly to follow him to the back exit. Upon opening it he waved a hand to introduce, "The Anaheim Pond! Best hockey rink in the world!"

Then he added sadly, "Also the emptiess."

Wildwing seemed worried but then said, "Come on, let's check it out!"

As we approached the building Wildwing noticed someone sitting at the base of a lamp post just outside. He was going through papers as he mummbled to himself. While we cast our collective shadow over him, standing before him, he looked up and cried out in startled terror.

Quickly regaining his composure he said, "Don't do that! The amusement park's across the freeway fellas!"

"We're here to play hockey!" Wildwing declared sternly.

The man stood up and scoffed, "Why not? I don't have nearly enough aggravation in my life!"

With that he lead us inside and introduced himself as Phil Palmfeather. He escorted the group of us to the locker room while I waited outside. Though I could hear him explaining to Wildwing, "See my boss stiffed me, moved the whole team to New Jersey. Now if I don't get a new team soon the city will tear this place down and I'll be out on the streets!"

"Well I'm sorry to hear that Phil," Wildwing grumbled before questioning harshly, "Now can we play some hockey?"

I winced at this, but I couldn't blame my brother either. Nosedive and I both knew what was going through his head at this time and didn't push it. Our older brother had just lost everything, including his best friend. He just wanted a piece of home and something familiar to pull himself away even if for just a short time.

Phil then lead us to the rink as he said, "Yeah sure, 'course you'll have to get past them first."

Upon looking out over the ice we found another team darting around the rink. They looked like they were dressed for some sort of street fight with spiked armor over their hockey gear as well as face paint and other street gang styles over their group.

"Comin' sweetheart?" Duke then asked me curiously.

I stepped back as I admitted sheepishly, "Unfortunately I know this is a battle I can't help much with. I only ever played casually back home."

"Cheer us on little sis!" Nosedive said encouragingly.

"Be careful," I said as they headed out, leaving me standing beside Phil.

I then followed him up to the seats to watch. At first I ended up wincing as these punks tripped, slammed, and knocked over my allies. Hurrying back down I overheard Nosedive exclaim, "I say we give these creeps some mega payback!"

"I'm with ya baby brother!" Wildwing agreed before adding firmly, "But we'll do it by the book!"

With that round two began as everyone stepped up and pushed the other team back. Duke blocked one player as he had tried to hit Tanya with her stick. Grin checked three players trying to knock over Nosedive. Then my twin set up his shot and fired, causing a buzzer to sound and a light from the goal to flash. I heard Phil behind me sit up in surprise. As my friends continued to win their game I could hear a phone being dialed.

Before we knew it Phil approached our group with papers and a deal. We needed a place to stay and a way to live while we continued our mission, in the meantime we could become a team here on what we found out was a planet called Earth...my home world. Wildwing, after some discussion, agreed to this deal. Soon after my friends had become hockey stars and we were now building our headquarters beneath Anaheim California's Arrowhead Pond.

In weeks my teammates were the biggest thing in the league it seemed. They had made a name for themselves as the Mighty Ducks. With this they gained fame and enough profits to begin building a headquarters for us beneath the Pond. In what felt like no time at all it was standing ready and we moved in. Mallory, Tanya, and Grin shared the left hall, Nosedive and Wildwing the center hall, and I found myself sharing the right hall with Duke. From there we had built around this, creating a wreck room, galley, infirmary, and whatever else we needed for a comfortable life while we went on with our mission here on Earth now.

I hadn't been sure how to really feel about all of this as I was unable to assist with the hockey side of things. For every game I cheered them on, yet beyond that I couldn't do much. As I had said I was a casual skater at best.

Then at one point after a game Wildwing approached me and asked, "Hey Heart, I've been wondering about something since we arrived on Earth."

"What's that?" I asked while the others were still changing out of their sports gear.

"Well you're back on your home planet, so how come you haven't tried to look for your family?" He asked a bit bewildered.

I looked up at him a bit stunned by this question, "Are...are you trying to tell me to leave?"

Wildwing quickly shook his head, "No, that's not it at all!"

This only confused me as he sighed and said, "I was just wondering that's all. I guess I was worried that now that we're here you might want to. You could get away from this life of combat, this war, and live a normal life with the family you may have had?"

As he said this I felt a sense of resolve strengthen my heart in my chest. I shook my head at his suggestion and said, "My place is here with all of you. I'm a part of this team and I have a mission to complete with all of you! I came here as your sister and I'll leave here as your sister when we go back to Puck World! I'm not going anywhere!"

"Are you sure?" Nosedive asked from behind me.

Turning to my twin I nodded, "Of course Dive. How could I leave my two brothers? It doesn't matter that I'm back on Earth. With you is where I belong, with or without my lost memories."

A smile curved Nosedive's beak as he ran up and locked me in a half hug, "Glad to hear it little sis! You better not go anywhere!"

A laugh escaped my lungs as I assured him, "I won't Dive! I won't!"

A few weeks later I decided adventure on my own for a bit. I just thought it would be good for me to go out, and perhaps get clothing that wasn't battle gear. Before leaving I told my teammates that I was going. Nosedive offered to go with me, but I assured him that I would be okay on my own for a little while.

This notion lasted for a short time however. I had gone to the mall, of course saying hi to Thrash and Mookie briefly first. Then I decided to go try and find clothes that I liked. Clothes shopping always felt odd to me for some reason. I never knew what style I preferred, what I should or shouldn't be wearing. It always made me feel out of place for some reason. Even back on Puck World I had mostly followed Nosedive's style.

"Maybe I should have asked someone to come with me," I mummbled, "Mallory or Nosedive could have helped me figure out something. Or maybe..." I shook my head. Duke probably would not have wanted to come shopping with me, but maybe that's how much I found myself enjoying his company.

I was looking through shirts when I overheard someone scoffing nearby, "Is that her?"

I turned around to find a couple of shoppers leering at me, snickering to themselves. My nerves jumped as I tried to step back.

"Don't you hang out with those freaks?" A woman asked.

"Aren't you human? Or maybe you're an alien too?" Her boyfriend laughed.

"They're not freaks!" I told them sharply as I turned to leave.

"Of course you would say that, you tag along with them like you think you're something special. I'm surprised one of them isn't with you now."

"Maybe they don't really want her around, but want to look nice to us humans so they put up with her. You're not even a hockey player, so why not wander somewhere else?"

I had had about enough of listening to this group of creeps, "You can say what you want about me, but leave my friends out of it! They made a name for themselves in a new home, and plenty of humans seem to love them. What exactly are you doing for anyone?"

The girl walked up to me, laughing at me as she did, "And what are you doing for anyone little girl? Living with these aliens because you're too much of a freak yourself to fit in anywhere else? They probably feel sorry for you, and that's why they haven't kicked you out yet! But that will probably change soon!"

Something boiled in me as I pushed her away from me and tried to walk away. Yet before I could get out of the way her boyfriend grabbed me, pinning me to the wall of the store isle, "Listen you alien freak, I suggest you think things through before you go picking fights with anyone without your buddies around to protect you."

"Get off of me!" I warned.

"Or what? You going to cry for help?"

"No, I'm not!" I snapped as I slid out of his grip, dodging him as he tried to reach for me again.

After I was out of their sight I felt myself come to a pause as I looked around the shopping area. There were many shoppers out and about, plenty of them seeming to be fine with me walking around. I even looked at the Comic Shop wondering if I should talk to Nosedive's friends. Yet for some reason, the things those punks had said were getting to me a bit. I wondered why, but as I did I felt myself growing a bit shaken, and my head began to hurt a little. Was I remembering something? As I began walking again I found myself gradually gaining speed until I was running.

Duke:

Heart had gone out shopping on her own for a little while. Perhaps it was to get reacquainted with her old home. Yet after a while, she hadn't returned. I tried to call her on her com, but there was no answer. Growing worried, I soon found myself searching for her. I was in the rink when I stopped in my steps at the sound of someone crying, and I looked around the large room to find who it was coming from. It didn't take long to find her curled up in a ball with her knees hugged to her chest. I felt a pang in my chest for some reason when I found her like that.

Then I slowly walked over to her, taking the seat beside her without a word or sound. I watched her for a moment, before carefully resting a gentle hand on her shoulder. At my touch her head bolted up, with a quick gasp of breath escaping her lungs as she looked at me. As she did she tried to wipe her tears away.

"Duke?"

"What happened sweetheart?" I enquired.

She looked away, seeming to unsure.

"Heart?"

Now she looked back at me with uncertainty in her eyes. I found myself taking her by the hand. Then I carefully pulled her up to her feet, leading her outside thinking she needed some air. She resisted at first, almost reluctant to set foot outside. Yet she soon followed along quietly. Once we were outside, I noticed Heart trying to get back inside. Away from the various humans that were walking around. I then looked at her, finding that she was looking away from them.

"Did someone say somethin' ta ya?" I asked now.

She nodded quietly. When she did, I turned towards her. Heart pulled away, but she didn't step away.

"Heart, you can talk ta me," I assured her with a slight smile, "You can trust me."

Heart looked up at me, her eyes still moistened from her tears, "It's not that I don't trust you, Duke."

"What did they say to ya Heart?"

She still wouldn't answer me.

"Come with me," I then said quietly as I took her by the hand again.

She didn't resist this time as she followed me up to the roof. We were just in time to see the setting sun before us. The sky was lit with stunning shades of reds, oranges, pinks, and purple all blending together. Once we were there I asked Heart to sit beside me. She hesitated at first, but after a few moments of me looking at her with a welcoming smile she obliged. Finally she told me what had happened to her, and I found myself looking over her arm when she mentioned being grabbed.

"I know what they said wouldn't happen. I know there's more to all of us than what a few people say; but something about what happened got to me I guess," she told me as she held her head.

"Your memories?" I ventured carefully.

"I really don't know. Everytime I try to remember anything from before I just recall flashes of my first night on Puck World."

"Have ya been able to uncover anythin'?"

"Just that I was running, someone grabbed me, and...and I think someone called out, telling them to let me go, but I don't know if that's true or just dreams."

I was taken a back by this. Though she was unaware of it, she had heard me that night. Yet for some reason I found myself holding back from telling her that. Perhaps it was seeing her holding her head in her hands that made me hesitate. Maybe I didn't want to accidentally hurt her somehow by triggering memories too quickly? However, I did rest a gentle hand on her shoulder to try and bring her comfort.

"I don't know what memories I lost, but I do know that my life with the team saved me somehow. I know I was running from something, but I'm not sure what. But what happens when that something catches up to me here? Will I need to run again?" She asked me, trembling now as she wondered about this, "I don't want to run, I want to stay here with my brothers."

"No sweetheart, ya don't have ta run away again," I assured while debating if I should hug her.

"Heart, no matter what happens, here or back home, I want ya ta know that you can talk ta me like this. I'll look out for ya," I promised her.

"Thank you Duke," I heard her reply quietly.

Then we watched the changing sky for a while. We talked about how our life was changing on Earth, the computer Tanya was working on, and games coming up. Though I noticed at times she would glance up at me. In turn I smiled and tried to get her to laugh by telling bad jokes. Some she laughed at, others she shook her head to.

"So I take it ya didn't get any clothes," I noted her usual jersey and torn up jeans.

She shrugged as though she weren't interested anymore.

"Let's go get ya some," I told her as I got to my feet, "It's not that late. We can go back to the mall."

I didn't give her a chance to decline the offer as I contacted Mallory and Nosedive.

"Duke, you don't have to do this," she protested looking up at me a bit alarmed.

"It's too late sweetheart," I laughed cheerfully as I reached a hand out to her to help her up, "Dive wants ta get some comics anyway, and Mal's lookin' for a new dress. So we may as well go with them right?"

Heart:

Before long they had all but dragged me to the Migrator. Grin had joined the group now too. Though I was trying to be enthusiastic, I didn't really feel confident about going back to the mall with them. Wouldn't this just prove their point, that I couldn't go anywhere without them around to stick up for me? Yet as we drove up, talking and hanging around each other, I felt my nerves began to settle.

"What do you think?" I found myself asking them as we shopped in the clothing section.

Though before they could answer I noticed the very same group from earlier wandering through the store again. I tried to ignore them, but found myself trying to leave as well.

"What's the matter girly-girl?" Nosedive asked, picking up on how tense I suddenly felt.

Duke glanced over at where I was still, "Is that them?"

He had told the others what had happened. And when actually seeing them while standing between my friends, I felt silly for letting these punks get to me so much. Yet before I could say anything else Duke rested an arm around my shoulder as the trio of humans now approached us.

"So she went and called them here after all," the girl scoffed.

Everyone but Duke seemed to ignore them, "Nah, she didn't call anyone! We jus' wanted to go shopping with our teammate is all."

I felt myself turn beet red as I looked up at Duke in surprise as he set his arm firmly over my shoulder. He smiled at me briefly before looking back at the smaller group with a stern expression.

"Why don't ya worry about you an' your own boyfriend before pickin' fights with her?" Duke added.

This last bit made my heart in my chest stop for a moment.

The couple looked as thouh they were about to say something to me when Grin stepped up behind us. He needn't say a word before the three friends backed up nervously.

"Can we help you?" He asked sternly before they walked away in disgust.

Yet as they walked away I slipped out from under Duke's arm to follow them a moment. They turned around, glaring at me as they saw me approaching them with a dedicated expression in my eyes. Once in front of them I felt my blood boiling again, but with a quick glance back to my friends I settled down before speaking, "I know I don't need to prove anything to you jerks; but my friends mean everything to me, so I will defend them even when they don't really care what humans like you think. I will never be afraid to show that! I love being around them because they accepted me as I accept them! If it means I'm an alien with them, then I guess I'll be an alien rather than be humans like you!"

Before they could answer I spun back around on my heel and walked back to my teammates. As I did I noticed them smiling back, accepting as I had said. I couldn't help but rush over to them now, jumping into a group hug of sorts with Nosedive at my side, Duke in center, and Grin patting my head from behind them. Mallory simply patted my shoulder in support from the side. Maybe it looked a little silly, but I didn't care. Nosedive playfully rustled my hair and I laughed from the built up stress, "I'm proud of ya little sis!"

Then we went back to shopping. Mallory found some dressier outfits she liked, Nosedive got some comics eventually, Grin seemed to just enjoy hanging out with us, and Duke found some books to take home. My mission to find clothes was finally accomplished. Though Duke noticed they mostly consisted of more slacks and shirts, almost all in our colors.

"Ya don't like dressin' up?" He asked curiously as he looked at my bags.

I rubbed the back of my neck shrugging, "I just don't tend to wear dresses I guess."

Duke smiled, "I bet you would look cute sweetheart."

I felt myself blushing again. Was he teasing me? I shook my head, ignoring the fluttering in my stomach as I tried to respond, "It's okay. I don't really need a dress Duke."

After getting a late dinner together we decided to head home.

Duke:

About two days later the team, except for Tanya, went out in our new Migrator. We soon passed an alley where I noticed a couple being terrorized by a gang.

As I unfastened my seatbelt and stood up I said to the others, "Man, those people are in trouble, we've gotta help 'em!"

"No! Finding Dragonus is our first priority," Wildwing told me.

"Yeah, besides, why should we get involved with the humans' problems?!" Nosedive questioned with his sister sitting right behind him.

"Hey, I've been on the wrong side of the law, and if we don't fight evil, where ever we find it, we're no better than Dragonus himself!" I argued.

As I said this, I noticed Heart smiling at me. It was the first time I noticed how she seemed to look at me. It was a way that no one had ever looked at me before, as a hero. It felt...different.

"He's right, let's go," Wildwing agreed finally as we turned around.

Soon we were approaching the alley as we heard the street thugs threatening the couple. We quickly interrupted and a fight broke out between us and the biker game. As we fought with them I noticed Heart making sure the couple got out and to safety. Moments later the thugs had been tossed unconscious into the nearby dumpster as Wildwing closed it, "That's where trash like you belongs."

As we went through the night we found ourselves becoming crime fighters overnight, stopping bank robberies and saving anyone who needed our help. In a short time we became heroes on and off the ice.

Heart:

While patrolling the streets we came across a bank that had been busted into. Driving inside it we found two ninjas with a large ray device blasting a safe open. We could hear them over the radar stating that no body could stop them. To which Nosedive hopped out through the top hatch to shout, "Guess again ninjerks!"

As they turned and jumped onto their device to turn it and blast at him I ran over and yanked him back down just before he was hit. Then I turned to see Duke climbing up as he rested a hand over his chest proudly as he declared, "I'll handle these rookies!"

With that he shot out a grappling hook and swung out towards the ray as it shot out. I held my breath as I watched him swiftly dodge the blasts until he reached the device, drew his saber, and dismantled it in one swipe of his blade. Then he swung back, hopping down into the Migrator beside me while the others ran out to join the fight. I started to follow when he grasped my shoulder with a chuckle, "I think they've got this one sweetheart."

I couldn't help but feel my face turning pink from this interaction as well as letting out a relieved breath to see he hadn't been hurt. I wondered if he could tell.

Outside we could hear the commotion as Mallory and Grin made short work of the two ninjas. Then we were off again.

Duke:

Though as we fought I realized that Heart hadn't had a weapon or piece of gear made for her like the rest of us. When in fights she focused on monuvering and getting civilains out of harm's way.

"Is there any gear that could be made you would be able to use?" I asked when we were heading home that night.

She pondered this for a moment before recalling fighting on Puck World, "I remember using a hockey stick like a staff okay before it got broken."

"So something like a glaive?" Grin offered.

"I bet Tanya could help ya out sis," Dive suggested helpfully.

"An' maybe I could teach ya fencing on the side as well, if ya like," I told her encouragingly.

Heart smiled, "Thanks guys."

Heart:

A few days later and we found Dragonus's ship hidden and stranded in the mountains. There we went to confront him and complete our mission. We had dragged Phil along with us for trying to claim that this wasn't important. Before long he was questioning if we had a bigger ship to fight with.

With some manuvering we managed to latch onto the top of the raptor, create an entrance into it, and descend to the captured ship. Wildwing ordered Tanya and Grin to find the main engines and shutting them down. Leaving the rest of us to get to the cockpit.

"That'll mean engaging Dragonus and his goons!" Mallory said eagerly.

As she said this Dragonus's henchmen appeared before us.

"Am I psychic or what?" Mallory asked half heartedly.

"So you want a rematch ay?" Siege chuckled while swinging his club tail.

"This time there won't be enough left of you to stuff a pillow!" Wraith snickered as he conjured up a fireball and threw it towards us.

In an instant Duke drew his saber, knocking the flame away from our group and towards the Chameleon who leapt out of the way panicked.

With that a scuffle began between our two groups. A chill ran up my spine as I grasped for the puck launcher at my hip as Wraith appeared behind me. He sneered at me, causing me to freeze, "Such a strange creature among these ducks don't you agree?"

Before I could answer Duke rushed up beside me just as Wraith went to swing his staff down over me. His blade blocked the wizard's staff repeatedly.

Behind us Mallory had tossed a transformed Chameleon into Siege, rolling them into Wraith just as Duke pushed me back while stepping aside to avoid being pulled in with them. The three of them landed in a heap as we circled them. Just as we were about to capture them we heard a booming voice erupt through the room, "Enough!"

Suddenly Dragonus himself appeared stepping towards us, glaring at us as we gathered together.

"You three take the controls," he ordered his men as he now approached us, "When we're over the city, blast it into rubble. I'll handle these pests."

"Not without a fight, Dragonus!" Duke yelled as he bravely stepped forward with his saber drawn.

I suddenly felt my heart leap to my throat as Duke stepped up to fight.

Yet this was short lived when the red lizard attacked all of us at once with a single blast. Sending us into different directions, Duke, Nosedive, and Mallory had been sent flying towards a high stack of oil cans. Wildwing and I had been knocked back across from them. Then Dragonus shot at the cans, causing them to come crashing down over them.

"No!" I cried out fearfully as I shakily got up and then ran to the pile.

With that I started to pull on the heavy cans. Trying with all my strength to pull them off of our friends. My muscles screamed in protest, yet I kept going until the pile began to move as my friends began to push them off of them. Seeing this a breath of relief escaped my lungs.

Just as this was happening I heard Dragonus mocking my brother while fighting him, "You pathetic fool! You'll never see your friend again!"

"No! No I don't believe you!" Wildwing shouted shaking his head while getting up.

"Deal with it duck boy!" Dragonus taunted, "Canard is trapped for all eternity, along with the mask!"

As Dragonus laughed we watched as Wildwing glanced at his satchel. Then he opened it, pulling out the mask as he placed it on his face and declared firmly, "Wrong dino breath!"

Nothing but pride went through me as I watched Wildwing charge forward and grab the device Dragonus had in his hand to keep himself hidden, crushing it in his hand. Then once visible Wildwing tackled the Saurian Overlord. His fist about to fly they only paused when Siege announced over the intercom, "The city is in range Lord Dragonus! We are ready to commence bombartment!"

Dragonus shoved Wildwing off of him as they continued to grapple the other to push one another back.

Suddenly the ship began to tremble as Tanya and Grin emerged covered in ashes and chared clothing.

"Um guys you won't believe this," Tanya started nervously.

"What now?" Mallory questioned with worry as she braced herself.

"Well it seems...we're going to sort...of maybe crash..." Tanya said as Dragonus slipped from the fight to escape deeper into his ship.

"What?!" Wildwing exclaimed.

"Well we kind of destroyed the main engine with a little miscalculation," Tanya tried to laugh as we made our way back to the Aerowing.

Once back on our ship we watched in fear as the ship headed towards the city. Yet just as it was about to crash into Anaheim it vanished out of sight.

"What happened?" Mallory asked bewildered.

"They must have switched to auxilary power," Tanya said in disbelief.

"Then we've gotta search for them!" Wildwing declared.

"Uh, no sorry Wildwing, like we don't have much fuel," Tanya informed him regretfully, "Ya know like really none almost..."

As Wildwing's shoulders sank with doubt Duke stepped behind him and grasped one of his shoulders and smiled proudly, "We'll find him again, because now we have a leader!"

"And a real team captain!" Mallory assured.

"That's my bro!" Nosedive cheered.

"You can do it," Grin added.

"Absolutely," Tanya insisted.

While I watched this I could hear Phil tearing up behind us with a tissue to his face. I then found myself giving my older brother a hug to try and tell him how proud I was of him.

Soon we were back at the Pond, and as we were all putting our gear away for the night I looked to each of them, feeling a sense of pride for everyone overwhelm me. This team, each member, were becoming my family in a way. I had gone from being a runaway with no past, to a fighter with three older brothers, two older sisters, and...as I looked at Duke, a dear friend at the very least. Though I couldn't help but feeling something different stirring in my heart, I couldn't put it into words at this moment yet.

This group had accepted me, even though they didn't have to. And I in turn looked up to each of them in some way. Wildwing's dependability to look out for everyone, Nosedive's carefree spirit to see things with humor, Mallory's tough attitude to keep anyone from messing with her, Tanya's eccentric nature to overcome anxiety, Grin's peaceful nature to teach others by example, and Duke's confidence to be our moral center. I hoped that I was contributing in some way as they each did. Though no matter what it took I would never stop fighting along side them. For this, we knew, was only the beginning for our team, the Mighty Ducks!


End file.
